I was always told never to talk to strangers, so if I traveled back in time to have a word with my younger self, I like to think I’d kick me in the shins.

What difference would it make anyhow?

My pre-pubescent, Carter-era self would never have believed it when grown-up me assured her that (putting aside those brown polyester Sears catalog pants and the blue velour platform shoes and the Love’s Baby Soft and the baby blue, cap sleeved “two fried eggs” t-shirts and root beer-flavored Lip Smackers) one day, believe it or not, I — that is, we — would miss the 1970s.

I liked 1970s television. Sandwiched between the excesses of the 60s and the cable revolution of the 80s, they were interesting times for TV. The demographic of the executives (people born between 1915 to about 1935) that ran the television business struck the perfect balance between permissiveness and wholesomeness. In other words, what they couldn't say on radio and early television, they let their characters and performers express in the 1970s, but without being downright filthy or demented. The Bunkers could express reality, Sanford and Son could be honest, and game show panels and Carol Burnett and her troupe could get racy and suggestive but never filthy. The crime shows were not exactly gritty, but they were populated with interesting characters, following tight scripts and are still exciting to watch. Crime shows today revolve around spectacular criminal activities; maybe an episode about a run-of-the-mill check forger or a petty shoplifter is actually more realistic

One of the biggest bruises on the national funny bone is multiculturalism. With so many non-English speakers and first generation English speakers everywhere, as well as tens of millions of immature ignorant Americans, the only common denominator is the lowest common denominator -- going to the toilet and death are the only things we have in common anymore. Why waste precious screen and television time setting up a joke or attempting a play on words when nobody will get it and ratings and box office will plummet.

I loved Ruth Buzzy on the old Laugh In and Lily Tomlin as Ernestine the telephone operator was funny as hell (Is this the party to whom I am speaking ? Ohhhhh, Gorey Veetle...) I could never think of Gore Vidal by any other name after that.

I always want to call Ruth Bader Ginsburg Ruth Buzzy Ginsburg, but only for the physical resemblance, obviously not the humoUr.

While I was off work last year I watched the entire series of "Thriller" from Netflix. When I was younger, it was scary. Now almost 60, I found it to be very well written for the most part. Another thing about those old shows, including opening titles and closing credits, the shows were 50 minutes long. Like so many shows of its time, Thriller and others had to rely on a PLOT. Now it seems that for a lot of programs it's just an excuse to get 2 people in bed.

Yes, All in the Family could be on cable. But at the time..........Nowadays every new show claims to be breaking new ground. But I remember when "All in the Family" premiered, and I thought OH MY! There was nothing like it before on broadcast TV. It wasn't the highest rated show for years because of nothing.